The overall objectives of the Gastrointestinal Immunology Core Laboratory are to provide assays of gastrointestinal or hepatic immune function relevant to GI research to Digestive Diseases Center (DDC) investigators, to make available specialized cell sorting and quantitative cytokine laboratory facilities to GI researchers, and to develop new quantitative tests for the evaluation of mRNA and protein for cytokines or other inflammatory mediators that may be useful in clinical and basic research. Major core services include: (1) state-of-the-art techniques in flow cytometry, rare event analysis and high-speed cell sorting; (2) isolation of immune/inflammatory cells from the gastrointestinal tract and liver, (3) quantitative RT-PCR and gene expression analysis for cytokines and other inflammatory mediators, (4) analysis of cytokine protein and cytokine-producing cells, and (5) functional analysis of gastrointestinal immune and inflammatory cells or factors. The core will also provide training and technical advice to researchers interested in developing sophistical immunology procedures for their GI-related research projects. For example, studies on the immunopathologies of disease in the gastrointestinal tract or liver in humans or animal models; development of gene array techniques relevant to immunity and inflammation or; approaches to assess and characterize the host response in normal tissue or a specific model of GI disease. Thus, the Core will benefit the Center members with a regular service and exchange of information in order to facilitate GI research development.